MADRIDSpains Prado art museum said Wednesday it had discovered an unusual copy of Leonardo da Vincis La Gioconda, painted by one of the masters pupils at the same time that the original was being completed.

The copy had been on display at the Madrid art museum for years without experts being aware of its importance.

A routine restoration led experts to discover that the dark background behind the female figure popularly known as Mona Lisa had been added afterward and that it covered an Italian landscape similar to that in da Vincis original.

A file photo of Leonardo da Vinci's original "Mona Lisa" (L) which hangs in the Louvre in Paris, and a recently discovered and restored copy of the "Mona Lisa" painting as it was displayed at Madrid's El Prado Museum is seen in this combination photo. The recently restored copy was completed by one of Da Vinci's apprentices most likely at the same time as the master himself painted the original.

I've heard that theory before and I certainly can't tell...The major difference between the paintings is the height of the top of the head on Number 2 and a subtle improvement around the eyes, making the subject more feminine.

Nonetheless, if that is an example of what passed for pretty back then, it's amazing that they reproduced at all.

“Now take your stiff fan-brush, and just touch it in your titanium white......like this........and now, just.....touch it on the tree.......and make a nice..........little......highlight.............there!”

I’m not exactly sure what you people are looking for. This is a PORTRAIT, not an abstract painting of a Goddess. It’s SUPPOSED to look like the person who’s being painted, right? Okay. This 500 year old woman wasn’t as “sexy” as, oh, I dunno, one of our emaciated-looking models... well, so what?

LOL! I have been in many portrait classes, drawing, pastel and painting, everyone is looking at the same model and that is how different the paintings turn out. Even the very experienced artists will turn out different looking renditions of the same person.

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